Louisiana State Parks sites have been featured in movie and television releases including "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Stay Alive," HBO's "True Blood," "Stuck in the Suburbs," "All the Kings' Men" and even on CBS' "The Amazing Race."

Louisiana's deep water ports

Did you know that Louisiana's five deep water ports handle more than 457 million tons of U.S. waterborne commerce a year?

Quality - Louisiana State Library85% of the users of the State Library indicated that the State Library's services and resources was a good value for the State.

$13.90 is the return on investment for every dollar spent by the Office of Tourism. Over 175,000 people were directly employed by the Louisiana travel and tourism industry in 2004. In terms of production, $5.9 billion (3.8%) of Louisiana's Gross State Product was directly attributable to expenditures by visitors to Louisiana

Every dollar in state support for the Arts leverages $7 in earned and contributed revenue. Louisiana's cultural enterprises provide nearly 144,000 jobs for Louisiana citizens, accounting for 7.6% of total employment. Arts has a total economic impact of $934 million in Louisiana.

Visitor spending at Louisiana State Parks returns $3.23 in state taxes for every dollar spend on operating and maintaining all our beautiful parks. Out-of-state visitors to Louisiana State Parks spent almost $12 million in Louisiana and produced an economic impact of over $24 million. Louisiana residents spent another $29.2 million while visiting the parks.

Thirteen Louisiana State Parks sites are on the National Register of
Historic Places. They include: • Audubon State Historic Site• Centenary State Historic Site• Fort Pike State Historic Site• Fort Jesup State Historic Site• Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site• Mansfield State Historic Site• Marksville State Historic Site• Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site• Port Hudson State Historic Site• Poverty Point State Historic Site• Otis House at Fairview-Riverside State Park• Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site• Winter Quarters State Historic Site

Louisiana State Parks Visitation

Over two million people visited a Louisiana State Park last year.

Louisiana State Parks Grow and Renew

The Louisiana Office of State Parks has spent nearly $80 million in major construction projects since 2004, providing two brand-new parks and a new historic site, adding cabins and campsites to existing parks and building visitor center at one park, the preservation area and three historic sites.

Louisiana State Parks Wireless Internet

The Louisiana Office of State Parks provides free wireless internet access at all 20 recreational parks. Extensive coverage areas include most cabins, RV slips and campsites.

Louisiana State Parks Honors National Parks Service Senior Pass Program

Visitors who hold an America the Beautiful Senior or Access Pass, and whose home State Park system honor the America the Beautiful passes for camping discounts, are entitled to a 50% reduction on camping fees at Louisiana State Parks. Certain restrictions apply, see State Parks' fees & facilities page for more information.

Louisiana State Parks Draw Media Attention

Louisiana State Parks sites have been featured in movie and television releases including "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Stay Alive," HBO's "True Blood," "Stuck in the Suburbs," "All the Kings' Men" and even on CBS' "The Amazing Race."

Capitol Park Welcome Center

The main meeting room in the Capitol Park Welcome Center is named after Margaret Taylor, wife of U.S. President Zachary Taylor. The couple resided in a small house near the present day location of Capitol Park until Taylor was elected to the Presidency.

Directions:From I-20, take LA 171 south to Anacoco. From Anacoco, turn west onto LA 111/392, then north onto LA 191. Turn west onto Bass Haven Road; the park entrance is approximately one-half mile on the left. To get to the park from I-10/Baton Rouge area, take US 190 to I-49 north to Alexandria; take LA 28 west to Leesville; turn north on LA 171 to Anacoco. For traffic traveling on I-10 from the Lake Charles area, take LA 171 north from Lake Charles into Anacoco.

Pleasantly located on several small bluffs that extend over and into the Toledo Bend Reservoir, South Toledo Bend State Park offers a scenic, waterfront view from many vantage points. While the reservoir is nationally recognized as a destination for bass fishing tournaments, visitors to the park can also enjoy other outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, cycling, birding, camping and enjoying the many forms of wildlife in the area.

The area also is a common nesting ground for the bald eagle, which feeds from the plentiful supply of freshwater fish – including largemouth bass, catfish, bream and white perch – found in the Reservoir. The avid fisher can set out onto the reservoir at the two-lane boat ramp area, to also enjoy a freshly-caught dinner.

An open-air breezeway leads out to the observation deck and a majestic view of the reservoir lake and nearby islands. A 3,000-foot surfaced nature trail provides an opportunity for all visitors to explore the area around the Visitor Center and the RV camping areas.

Also nestled among the trees near the Visitor Center are several picnic tables, so visitors can enjoy a lunch or snack while enjoying their day at South Toledo Bend State Park.

America the Beautiful Senior and Access Passes (formerly Golden Age & Golden Access Passports) (Available through the National Park Service. Click here for more information)Holders of the Passes, whose state of residence also honors the America the Beautiful pass, are entitled to a 50% reduction on camping fees at Louisiana State Parks. (Passport holders are allowed one site per passport).

Toledo Bend Dam - (on the southern end of Toledo Bend Reservoir, on the Louisiana-Texas border) – Generates over 2 million kilowatt-hours of energy output annually, which is purchased by Gulf States Utilities, Louisiana Power & Light and CLECO.

Museum of West Louisiana - (South 3rd St., Leesville) – Housed in the old Kansas City Southern depot, the museum offers exhibits on the culture and life of southwest Louisiana residents along with memorabilia from World War II.

Boise Vernon WMA (12 miles west of Leesville) – Over 50-thousand acres managed primarily for pine timber. Camping and birding opportunities are available for visitors.

Hodges Gardens State Park (6 miles south of Florien on Hwy. 171) - Day-use visitors will enjoy the nature trails and extensive picnic area. Water from the 225-acre lake is pumped through an extensive system of pools and waterfalls, adding to the beauty of the formal gardens.

Cypress Bend Golf Resort (13 miles west of Many) – Offers an 18-hole Audubon Golf Trail championship golf course, as well as luxurious accommodations and fine dining. Meeting and conference facilities are also available.

Fort Jesup State Historic Site (6 miles east of Many off LA 6, formerly the "San Antonio Trace") – The site of a fort established in 1822 by Zachary Taylor to secure the western border of the U.S. frontier. It features the original field kitchen, a replica of officers' quarters which serves as a museum and visitors center, and interpretive programs.

Los Adaes State Historic Site (1 mile northeast of Robeline on LA Hwy. 485) – The 14-acre site located on the "El Camino Real" near Natchitoches features the remains of a Spanish fort built in the 1700s to protect Texas from the French. It is a major archaeological site and offers interpretive programs.

Rebel State Historic Site (3 miles northwest of Marthaville on State Hwy. 1221, and 25 miles west of Natchitoches and I-49) – Features the gravesite of an unknown Confederate soldier and is home of the Louisiana Country Music Museum. An amphitheater offers concerts featuring gospel, country and folk music.

Historic Town of Natchitoches (off I-49 on Cane River Lake) – The oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, it has a 33-block Historic Landmark District featuring Creole architecture, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, shops and historic homes.

Kisatchie National Forest – Longleaf Vista National Recreation Trail (25 miles west of Natchitoches and I- 49) – Take LA 111 east through Anacoco to LA 117 and travel 10 miles north to this trail featuring spectacular views of mesas, buttes, and sandstone outcroppings within the U.S. Forest Service Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area.